[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 371 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 371

Honoring and congratulating the Minnesota National Guard, on its 150th 
 anniversary, for its spirit of dedication and service to the State of 
Minnesota and the Nation and recognizing that the role of the National 
  Guard, the Nation's citizen-soldier based militia, which was formed 
    before the United States Army, has been and still is extremely 
          important to the security and freedom of the Nation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 30, 2006

   Mr. Kennedy of Minnesota (for himself, Mr. Kline, Ms. McCollum of 
  Minnesota, Mr. Ramstad, Mr. Gutknecht, Mr. Sabo, and Mr. Oberstar) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Honoring and congratulating the Minnesota National Guard, on its 150th 
 anniversary, for its spirit of dedication and service to the State of 
Minnesota and the Nation and recognizing that the role of the National 
  Guard, the Nation's citizen-soldier based militia, which was formed 
    before the United States Army, has been and still is extremely 
          important to the security and freedom of the Nation.

Whereas the Minnesota National Guard traces its origins to the formation of the 
        Pioneer Guard in the Minnesota territory in 1856, two years before 
        Minnesota became the 32nd State in the Union;
Whereas the First Minnesota Infantry regiment was among the first militia 
        regiments in the Nation to respond to President Lincoln's call for 
        troops in April 1861 when it volunteered for three years of service 
        during the Civil War;
Whereas during the Civil War the First Minnesota Infantry regiment saw battle at 
        Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg;
Whereas during a critical moment in the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, 
        262 soldiers of the First Minnesota Infantry, along with other Union 
        forces, bravely charged and stopped Confederate troops attacking the 
        center of the Union position on Cemetery Ridge;
Whereas only 47 men answered the roll after this valiant charge, earning the 
        First Minnesota Infantry the highest casualty rate of any unit in the 
        Civil War;
Whereas the Minnesota National Guard was the first to volunteer for service in 
        the Philippines and Cuba during the Spanish-American War of 1898, with 
        enough men to form three regiments;
Whereas one of the three Minnesota regiments to report for duty in the War with 
        Spain, the 13th Volunteer regiment, under the command of Major General 
        Arthur MacArthur, saw among the heaviest fighting of the war in the 
        battle of Manila and suffered more casualties than all other regiments 
        combined during that key confrontation to free the Philippines;
Whereas after the cross-border raids of Pancho Villa and the attempted 
        instigation of a war between the United States and Mexico, the border 
        was secured in part by the Minnesota National Guard;
Whereas the Minnesota National Guard was mobilized for duty in World War I, 
        where many Minnesotans saw duty in France, including the 151st Field 
        Artillery, which saw duty as part of the famed 42nd ``Rainbow'' 
        Division;
Whereas the first federally recognized Air National Guard unit in the Nation was 
        the 109th Observation Squadron of the Minnesota National Guard, which 
        passed its muster inspection on January 17, 1921;
Whereas a tank company of the Minnesota National Guard from Brainerd, Minnesota 
        was shipped to the Philippines in 1941 to shore up American defenses 
        against Japan as World War II neared;
Whereas these men from Brainerd fought hard and bravely as American forces were 
        pushed into the Bataan Peninsula and ultimately endured the Bataan Death 
        March;
Whereas men of the Minnesota National Guard's 175th Field Artillery, as part of 
        the 34th ``Red Bull'' Division, became the first American Division to be 
        deployed to Europe in January of 1942;
Whereas when the 34th Division was shipped to North Africa, it fired the first 
        American shells against the Nazi forces;
Whereas the 34th Division participated in six major Army campaigns in North 
        Africa, Sicily, and Italy, which led to the division being credited with 
        taking many of the enemy-defended hills in the European Theater as well 
        as having more combat days than any other division in Europe;
Whereas the Minnesota National Guard served with distinction on the ground and 
        in the air during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm;
Whereas Minnesota National Guard troops have helped keep the peace in the former 
        Yugoslavia, including 1,100 troops who have seen service in Bosnia, 
        Croatia, and Kosovo;
Whereas the Minnesota National Guard has participated in keeping America safe 
        after September 11th, 2001, in numerous ways, including airport 
        security;
Whereas the Duluth-based 148th Fighter Wing's F-16s flew patrols over cities 
        after September 11th for a longer time than any other air defense unit;
Whereas over 11,000 members of the Minnesota National Guard have been called up 
        for full-time service since the September 11th terrorist attacks;
Whereas as of March 20, 2006, Minnesota National Guard troops are serving in 
        national defense missions in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, 
        and Iraq;
Whereas more than 600 Minnesota National Guard troops have been deployed to 
        Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom;
Whereas members of the Minnesota National Guard, serving in the 1st Brigade 
        Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division, have been a part of the 
        State's largest troop deployment since World War II, with more than 
        2,600 citizen soldiers called to service in support of Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom;
Whereas the Minnesota National Guard has greatly contributed not only to battles 
        but to the suppressing of violent riots, such as the 1947 national meat 
        processors strike, in which they aided helpless police officers, and the 
        fight against natural disasters such as the Red River flood in 1997 in 
        which they organized search and rescue missions, helped shelter people 
        who were left homeless, ran logistics, and helped sandbagging efforts; 
        and
Whereas on April 17, 2006, the Minnesota National Guard will celebrate its 150th 
        anniversary along with its historical and recent accomplishments: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) honors and congratulates the Minnesota National Guard 
        for its spirit of dedication and service to the State of 
        Minnesota and to the Nation on its 150th anniversary; and
            (2) recognizes that the role of the National Guard, the 
        Nation's citizen-soldier based militia, which was formed before 
        the United States Army, has been and still is extremely 
        important to the security and freedom of the Nation.
                                 <all>